Case-control study of the association of fine particulate matter exposure and risk of sinonasal malignant neoplasm
Exposure to fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) has been associated with multiple malignant neoplasms, but its relationship with sinonasal malignant neoplasm (SNM) remains poorly characterized. A US-wide case-control study evaluated the association between regional PM2.5 exposure and first observed SNM diagnosis from 2007 to 2020. Cases were defined by the first eligible SNM diagnosis after a 1-year enrollment washout period. Controls without a SNM diagnosis were randomly sampled at an approximate 1:5 case to control ratio. Regional PM2.5 exposure was derived from NASA 1-km gridded models integrating satellite, meteorologic, land-use, and atmospheric data, aggregated to each participant’s residential metropolitan statical area and index date. The analytic cohort included 21 295 individuals: 3600 patients with SNM and 17 695 controls. Mean PM2.5 concentrations were higher among cases than controls across 6-month, 1-year, and 5-year windows. In fully adjusted models, each SD increase in PM2.5 was associated with higher odds of first observed SNM diagnosis: aOR 1.25 (95% CI 1.05-1.49) for 6-month average exposure; 1.31 (1.08-1.59) for 1-year average exposure, and 1.36 (1.11-1.66) for 5-year average exposure. The authors conclude that in this case-control study, greater regional PM2.5 exposure was associated with higher odds of a first observed SNM diagnosis, with larger estimates for longer averaging windows.